Canadian MSNBC broadcaster Ali Velshi is both
alarmed and fascinated by the weaponization
of cultural identity that is ongoing in the United
States, and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be speaking about it in Vancouver.
> BY CHARLIE SMITH

9

COVER

AJung Moon, director of the Open Roboethics Institute, considers the importance of
instilling morals into artificial intelligence.

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25
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I Saw You
Movie Reviews
Savage Love
Straight Stars
Visual Arts

> BY K ATE WILSON

TIME OUT

12

STYLE

A local designer put together a swimwear
collection that women of all shapes can
access and mix â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; match for perfect fits.
> BY LUCY L AU

SNBC broadcaster Ali
Velshi has had a busy
day by the time he gets
on the line with the
Georgia Straight from New York
City. U.S. president Donald Trump
is just about to pull his country out
of the nuclear deal with Iran. And
Velshi is gathering his thoughts
about an upcoming visit to Vancouver to discuss the “weaponization of culture”.
Velshi, an Ismaili Muslim born
in Kenya and raised in Toronto,
says he has always felt that having
a cultural identity and exposure
to others’ cultural identities are a
positive thing for society.
“I thought it was an additive,” he
says. “I thought it was an enhancement to your citizenship.”
But now he’s witnessing cultural
identities being appropriated into
political weapons that are pulling
societies apart. He noticed it in the
United Kingdom’s Brexit referendum and in recent elections in several European countries.
According to him, it’s also on
display in America, where more
people are voting on the belief that
if another culture is making gains,
then they must be losing.
“It’s a zero-sum game,” Velshi
emphasizes. “ ‘Make America great
again’ was a slogan of a cultural
war.…There was a clear undercurrent that said, ‘A lot of changes that
you have seen have come at a cost
to you economically. Let’s reclaim
that for ourselves.’ ”
It’s a viewpoint that Velshi adamantly rejects. And he worries
that this type of thinking is laying
a foundation for some potentially
earth-shattering consequences.
“I’m very alarmed at the similarities that we are seeing today to
Rwanda, to prewar Germany, to
other totalitarian environments,”
Velshi says, referring to a 1994 African genocide and the rise of the
Nazis in Europe.
And he admits that he’s puzzled
that it’s taking place in the digital
age in the United States, which has
a First Amendment to its constitution that guarantees freedom of
religion, expression, assembly, and
the right to petition.

Ali Velshi sees similarities between
prewar Germany and current events.

“I truly still don’t understand
why in democracies we struggle
with this,” Velshi continues.
He acknowledges that culture
wars aren’t uncommon throughout
history in places like Europe and
India. But in America it’s more surprising to him, given the country’s
relative prosperity and its overall
labour shortage.
“Rather than think of sophisticated immigration concerns, we
create bogeymen on the southern
border: rapists and murderers,” he
says. “Culture is playing a part in
creating the fear.”
As Velshi has delved more deeply
into this topic, he has come to appreciate the importance of building
“bridges of empathy” with those
with opposing points of view. In
this regard, he’s been inf luenced
by sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild, a professor emeritus at the
University of California, Berkeley.
She spent five years studying Tea
Party supporters in Louisiana to
find out why they would support
politicians who identified with political causes that didn’t help them
get ahead in life.
According to Velshi, they identify with right-wing broadcaster
Rush Limbaugh and Trump “because those people have so impregnated them with the view that their
loss is specifically because of someone else’s gain in society”.

“So homophobic views, racist
views, things like that have really
been born out of the idea that they
needed…a scapegoat,” the MSNBC
broadcaster says. “Some in society
have very successfully illustrated a
scapegoat for them.”
Velshi wants to become better
informed about why people feel
this need to have scapegoats so he
is better equipped to bring them
over to the side of pluralism.
In this regard, he’s been inspired
by the spiritual leader of the Ismailis, the Aga Khan, who is one
of the world’s foremost advocates
for pluralism. In fact, the Aga
Khan spearheaded the creation of
the Global Centre for Pluralism in
Ottawa with the goal of deepening
understanding of factors that contribute to inclusion and exclusion
around the world.
“When the Aga Khan speaks of
culture, it’s not just ethnicity and
religion,” Velshi points out. “He
talks about music and art and the
built environment.”
Another inspiration has been
cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who synthesizes
musical traditions from a variety
of cultures. Velshi likes to cite
examples like this to show how
an intercultural approach can enrich society.
Velshi has also paid attention
to neuroscience, which is shedding new light on the structure
and functioning of the brain and
how demagogues can exploit this
to fan the f lames of racism. However, because neuroscience is not
his specialty, he prefers to speak
about the political implications of
the weaponization of culture.
“I’m at the front end of this journey, and I’m truly fascinated by it,”
Velshi reveals. “I had spent a few
years focusing on the phenomenon
of fake news—from an economic
perspective—and how it grew. I’m
realizing fake news is just a subset
of this larger conversation. Fake
news is employed very successfully
in culture wars.”Ali Velshi will deliver the Peter Wall
Institute for Advanced Studies Wall
Exchange lecture on Wednesday
(May 16) at the Vogue Theatre.
For more information, see www.
pwias.ubc.ca/.

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HIGH TECH

Just over two years ago, Microsoft released

BY KATE WI LSON

a chatbot on Twitter named Tay. Created to mimic the
speech and spelling of a 19-year-old American girl,
the program was designed to interact with other
Twitter users and get smarter as it discovered more
about the world through their posts—a process
called machine learning. Rather than becoming an
after-school chum for bored teens, though, Tay was
soon tweeting everything from “I’m smoking kush
in front of the police” to “I fucking hate feminists
and they should all die and burn in hell.” She was
shut down 16 hours after her launch.
Tay’s rants—which featured racist slurs and Holocaust denials—tapped into people’s biggest anxieties
about the future of artificial intelligence (AI). With
no moral compass to guide them, the fear goes, machines will be unable to follow the same social rules
as humans.
In response, an industry is growing around robot
ethics.
UBC graduate AJung Moon, director of the
Open Roboethics Institute, has dedicated her career to dissecting the tricky issues thrown up by

Should we fear
the robots?

Open Roboethics Institute director AJung Moon points out that the creators of robots
have the power to replicate their views and ideas over and over. Martin Dee photo.

and the company’s money, cers are in those areas, there will likely be more arbut if they chose not to send rests for crimes that might not have otherwise been
a safety officer, a huge acci- seen. If you want to be fair in keeping everybody
dent could happen in their safe, what should fairness mean in this particular
absence. We conducted an context? If you don’t have a definition that’s loud
AI ethics assessment, which and clear for everyone to see, you’re going to run
An industry growing around robot ethics is dedicated to
was the first one that we into trouble in the future.”
Despite the potential failings of artificial intellidissecting the tricky issues raised by artificial intelligence know of in the world. That
gave them an ethics road gence, Moon is optimistic about its future. At the
artificial intelligence. A mechatronic engineer by map to break down why they make the decisions that upcoming B.C. Tech Summit, she plans to discuss
trade, Moon became interested in the topic when they do. It’s available for everyone to see, so they are how robots and humans need to be working togetha mentor at her university mentioned how South able to justify their choices.”
er to make decisions, with the machines offering
A number of B.C. companies use AI technology suggestions and people making the final call.
Korea was developing autonomous weapons to
guard the demilitarized zone. Realizing that there but don’t let the public know how their machines
“There should be a healthy amount of concern in
were few discussions around what kind of robots make decisions. In Moon’s view, those systems can terms of what we should be doing about workers who
companies should be creating, she delved into the be ethically problematic. High-profile organizations will be displaced or the amount of large-scale disruplike the Vancouver Police Department, for instance, tion that these technologies will bring,” she says. But
morality of machines in her graduate studies.
“I’m a woman in her 30s with a technology back- use machine learning to predict where and when I think we do need to point out the positives of the
ground, born in Korea and raised in Canada,” she certain crimes are more likely to happen—but by technology. Not only can AI do tasks more effitells the Georgia Straight on the line from her of- failing to disclose how those choices are being made, ciently than us, there are also areas where we have
fice in Seattle. “I have my own set of biases. Those they risk being accused of prejudice or profiling.
huge shortages of employees. In the care sector, for
“Based on data the Vancouver police has gath- instance, B.C. has big problems hiring people to supshould not be assumed to be reflective of everyone’s
values—and yet, if I create robots that take on those ered in the past, its AI system can make accurate port the elderly, and that can be supplemented by
standards, I have the power to replicate my views guesses about property crimes,” Moon says. “They robotic systems. There are definitely use-cases that
over and over. Artificial-intelligence systems act as can then preemptively send officers to those loca- can change the world for the better.” a proxy for one person’s ideas, and a single set of tions. That’s when the idea of bias comes into play.
opinions can become the rule. It’s incredibly im- The type of neighbourhood is often associated with AJung Moon speaks at the B.C. Tech Summit at the
portant for us to be thoughtful about the decisions the type of people who live there, whether that be in Vancouver Convention Centre West on Tuesday
we make when we program machines, and that’s terms of race or socioeconomic status. If more offi- (May 15).
where ethics comes into play.”
Moon focuses her work not just on chatbots or
> BY KATE WILSON
HOW BIG IS B.C.’S TECH INDUSTRY?
physical robots but on any system that uses machine
learning—the ability to get better at a task through
$1,690 a week, compared to just
Ask someone to imagine the EMPLOYMENT More than
experience rather than direct programming—to
$920 for the average B.C. employprovince’s technology sector 106,000 individuals work in the
power its artificial intelligence. AI is already ubiee. That number has been rising
and they’ll likely picture a room
industry—an all-time high.
quitous. Google Maps, for instance, uses machine
for the past six years.
of software developers tapping
Representing five percent of the
learning to predict how long a journey will take
out lines of code. In reality, tech
workforce as a whole, tech workers
based on the information it interprets from others’
companies are full of individuals
in the province outnumber those in LOCATION Technology companphones in real time and makes its own decisions
from a wide variety of professions, mining, oil, gas, and forestry com- ies are concentrated on the mainabout the best route to take. With artificial intelall working to create products that bined, including the manufacturing land and in the southwest region
ligence now underpinning everything from road
influence every aspect of society.
activities related to those resources. of the province—69 percent, to be
safety to résumé-reading, Moon believes that comDuring the past seven years,
According to the latest statistics
precise—with the vast majority
panies must interrogate the morality behind their
the local industry has been
released by the government—those in Metro Vancouver. The region is
programming.
steadily growing. Here’s how big for 2016—employment in the sec- home to the largest tech business“There’s many different ways to implement ethit has become.
tor increased by more than four
es in B.C., including Telus, Maxar
ics into artificial intelligence,” she says. “I recently
percent that year.
Technologies, and Sierra Wireless.
worked with Technical Safety B.C., which is an orECONOMY British Columbia’s
Behemoths like Microsoft, Amazon,
ganization which oversees the safe installation of
tech sector generates about
and Sony host offices in the city,
COMPANIES The number of
equipment. They wanted to take the huge amount
businesses, too, saw a leap, with with Amazon announcing last week
$15 billion in gross domestic
of data that they gather and use it to make decisions
that it will expand its representation
product (GDP), which translates 331 new startups opening their
about where hazards are most likely to arise. They
in Vancouver by opening a second
to seven percent of its economy. doors. That brought the total of
could then send over a safety officer to do something
high-tech companies to more than location with 3,000 new jobs. By comparison, the forestry
about it before there was a danger.
10,200, a jump of 3.3 percent.
“One of their employees pointed out that the
sector (wood, pulp-and-paper
Statistics from B.C. Stats report
machine-learning system could throw up a false
production, logging, and silviProfile of the British Columbia
finding and make a wrong prediction about a hazard,”
culture) is responsible for about PAY The average tech-sector
Technology Sector: 2017 Edition.
worker in the province earns
three percent of total GDP.
she continues. “If they were to send out a safety officer to that site, they would be wasting their time

Mother’s Day confessions tell the real story
(This article is sponsored by communYes, there are mothers who seem to
ity partners highlighted in the Mother’s have the whole parenting thing comDay digital feature on straight.com/.)
pletely figured out. And, Gwyneth,
that’s fabulous. But below, real Vanhead of Mother’s Day this couver mamas dish the dirt on their
Sunday (May 13), it’s only funniest confessions of motherhood.
appropriate that we start by
saying moms are amazing. SMELLS LIKE MOTHERHOOD “I’m
While we could wax lyrical about so stuck on the notion of not being able
the sacrifices they make, their uncon- to shower when the baby comes that
ditional love, guidance, and undying I’ve been going multiple days without
support, we thought we’d take the op- showering in preparation. Sometimes
I honestly cannot remember when was
portunity to hand them the mike.

A

the last time that I showered, which DADDY’S DOUBLE “When I first
my husband thinks is disgusting—and saw my daughter (who quickly behe’s probably right.” > CARA, DUE MAY 28 came a beautiful baby, now 13), I
was a little shocked to see this little
MOMMY’S SECRET “My husband baby girl with the exact face of my
foolishly thinks that I’m still wear- husband. I whispered to her as a
ing the Victoria’s Secret underwear promise: ‘I will love you anyway!’ ”
he got me for my birthday. But as > DIANNE, MOTHER TO 13-YEAR-OLD
soon as he leaves for work, I slip
on the extra-large hospital under- ONE SIZE FITS ALL “My four-weekwear that cleverly holds an enor- old daughter has a wardrobe that
mous sanitary pad and ice packs!” would rival Carrie Bradshaw’s, but
> TRACY, MOTHER TO TWO-WEEK-OLD
since she’s been born I’ve put her in

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> EMMA, MOTHER TO FOUR-WEEK-OLD

CABBAGE-PATCH MOM “I sent my

husband to the supermarket to pick
up cabbage for making coleslaw for
dinner, but the real reason I needed
it was to put it in my bra to soothe my
burning nipples.” > BONNIE, MOTHER
TO FIVE-WEEK OLD

CRYBABY “I used to pretend to be

asleep when my baby started to cry
so that my husband had to get up.” >

KATE, MOTHER TO 12-YEAR-OLD

“I only wash my
son’s hair when it starts to look
greasy or he’s going to the hairdresser. It’s usually more than
a month in between washes!”

LIAR, LIAR “As moms, we lie all
the time. For years, my daughters
thought that fish was chicken, that
leeks were cucumbers, and that
every vegetable under the sun was an
apple.” > TARA, MOTHER TO 14-YEAROLD AND 23-YEAR-OLD

POT CALLING KETTLE BLACK

“My daughters don’t think I kissed a
boy or drank alcohol until I was 23.
And they certainly don’t know that
I’ve smoked pot.” > KELLY, MOTHER
TO 12-YEAR-OLD AND 15-YEAR-OLD -

n a world where women are
trained to squeeze, twist, and
contort their bodies to fit into
itsy-bitsy bikinis and skintight one-pieces, local designer
Julia Church had a revolutionary
idea: why not make swimwear that
moulded to a wide assortment of
body types, rather than the other
way around?
A seemingly obvious notion that
you would think the multibilliondollar fashion industry would have
cashed in on by now, the inclusive
concept certainly struck a chord
with women around the world, who,
together, pledged $70,000—seven

times Church’s initial goal—in a
crowdfunding campaign to make
such swim apparel a reality.
That was in 2014; following the
success of the fundraiser, Church
immediately got to work on Nettle’s Tale Swimwear, a line of
Vancouver-designed and -made
pieces named after the women in
her life they’re crafted so lovingly to fit. Last year, the designer
achieved another milestone: opening a stand-alone boutique where
customers could see, touch, and try
on Nettle’s suits.
Situated at 330 West Cordova
Street, the warm, wood-panelled
space stocks the brand’s full West
Coast–inspired collection, which

MegaJobFair.pics.bc.ca
> Go on-line to read hundreds of I Saw You posts or to respond to a message <
CANADA LINE

s

r

I SAW A:
I AM A:
WHEN: APRIL 24, 2018
WHERE: Canada Line

Be a Role Model, Be a Peace Officer… Join BC Corrections

FREET
EVEN

You pulled me out of a day
dream. Your name is Adam.
We both work in Yaletown and
both live in Mt. Pleasant.
Haven't seen you since.

SUZ ON BUMBLE. RED
HAIR AND KIND EYES.

Presented by…

r

I SAW A:
I AM A:
WHEN: MAY 7, 2018
WHERE: The Internet

s

Hi Suz, This is sort of a long
shot... I matched with you on
Bumble about a year ago. You
were the first and only person I
was actually excited to meet
since I started using that silly
app. Unfortunately our match
expired before you sent a message. I can’t explain why, but I
have thought of you ever since.
I’ve let too many opportunities
pass me by, and rather than
mourn the loss of another
potential connection, I thought
I’d reach out and take a chance.
If you see this and have any
idea who I am, drop me a line
and let’s grab a drink :)

OLD AQUA COLORES
BIKE EARLY MONDAY
MORNING

r

s

I SAW A:
I AM A:
WHEN: MAY 7, 2018
WHERE: Across from Birds
and Beets in Gastown
I saw you checking me out. I
am too shy but I am head over
heels about you. You are so
beautiful I wanna get to know
everything about you. I hope
you see this and we meet up
for ice cream, maybe more. I
was wearing camo shorts,
grey shirt with black sleeves
and had glasses on, listening
too tunes. I live next too where
u work.

A&W BRENTWOOD

s

I SAW A:
I AM A:
WHEN: MAY 2, 2018
WHERE: A&W

r

Message if you’d like to meet
for coffee.

CUTE QUEER IN A
STRIP CLUB

r

I SAW A:
I AM A:
WHEN: MAY 5, 2018
WHERE: Vancouver

r

You, blonde with shorts and a
ball cap, me with the curly
hair. You complimented me
and told me you were from
White Rock. You honestly may
not even have read me as
queer, most people don’t. I
tried to find you later to give
you my number, but by the
time I’d gathered my courage
and gotten my act together,
you’d already left. Hopefully
you see this!

STORMY @ DONALD’S
MARKET

r

s

I SAW A:
I AM A:
WHEN: MAY 6, 2018
WHERE: Donald’s Market
Commercial Drive
I think you’re such a friggin
babe. I’m looking for an
excuse to go back and get
more veggies so I can see you
again.

BLONDE GIRL
DOWNSTAIRS @ THE
AMERICAN

r

s

I SAW A:
I AM A:
WHEN: MAY 5, 2018
WHERE: The American on Main
You almost went into the
mens bathroom. I was at the
ATM. We started talking and
you told me about the weird
things girls do in bathrooms.
You had blonde hair and
thought you were rambling. I
didn't think so, but didn't ask
your name. I looked for you
after, but you were gone.

GREEN PARACHUTE
PANTS

r

I SAW A:
I AM A:
WHEN: MAY 1, 2018
WHERE: Kitsilano

s

You were the pretty blonde
working
construction
in
Kitsilano on Tuesday I was the
tall dark haired guy working at
the shop next door. Didn’t get
an opportunity to talk but,
how about drinks and a show
sometime?

99 IN KITS

r

I SAW A:
I AM A:
WHEN: MAY 3, 2018
WHERE: 99 B Line

s

Saw you on the 99, we smiled at
each other, first at the
MacDonald stop, then on the
bus, then again after I got off.
Me: slim, dark skin, black curly
chin length hair, carrying something. You: slim, caucasian, long
& straight black hair, red lipstick,
floral shirt, cute. Where did I get
off and what was I carrying?

WAITING ROOM REGRET

s

r

I SAW A:
I AM A:
WHEN: APRIL 18, 2018
WHERE: Westview Drive
We were both waiting to see the
doctor and you overheard me
talking to my brother about my
age. You were so cute the way
you told me that I have nothing
to worry about. I was with my
family and I didn’t have the guts
to ask you for your number in
front of them.

HERE’S THE OLD
SCHOOL, WITH THE NEW
SCHOOL

s

r

I SAW A:
I AM A:
WHEN: APRIL 14, 2018
WHERE: Gastown

We were in the same physics
class one summer in BCIT. I was
studying at the bench right outside our building when you
passed by riding your skateboard, rocking your old school
Walkman looking headphones
and shoes. In lab that same day
you said my new short hair
looked good. Saw you again
recently at the Charles Bar
where we danced all night to old
school tunes. I think you’re pretty cool and I love vibing with you.
You make me feel like 90's RnB. I
wish we were closer in school.

SMILE

r

s

I SAW A:
I AM A:
WHEN: APRIL 24, 2018
WHERE: Waterfront

In front of Waterfront St., waiting
for transit. You passed by and
gave me a beautiful smile, you
made my day! I’d love to buy you
lunch/coffee. Beautiful hair btw.

includes comfy high-waisted bottoms, surfer-chic tops, and colourblock one-pieces. Among the
shop’s bestsellers are the Britney
($70), a reversible crisscrossing
top that can be manipulated six
different ways to create varying looks, and the Kelsey ($149), a
wrap-style one-piece with flattering ruching and a plunging neckline designed to accommodate a
range of bust sizes. For the summer,
Nettle’s has also released a number
of its classic suits in playful, limited-edition prints like polka dots
and blackberries.
All items are designed to be
mixed and matched so that customers can find the sizes and styles that
work best for the top and bottom
portions of their bodies. “They’re
designed to fit all the different
women in our lives and all different
body types,” store manager Katie
Anderson tells the Straight during
an interview at the shop.
In addition to offering women
a safe, comfortable space in which
they can shop for locally made
swimwear—Church took extra
care to ensure fitting rooms were
bright and open but still private—
Nettle’s offers a range of ethically
produced apparel, cosmetics, and
home goods from Canadian makers like Camp Brand Goods, Harlow Skin Co., and Hollow Tree.
For the upcoming spring edition of the Gastown Shop Hop,
which will see over 40 retailers in
the ’hood offer special deals from
5 to 9 p.m. on Thursday (May 10),
Nettle’s will have an assortment of
swimsuits on hand that aren’t typically available in-store.
If you’re looking to expand your
swimwear search during the Shop
Hop, One of a Few (354 Water
Street) carries a selection of minimalist tops and bottoms (from
$98) from the Cali-based Nu Swim;
Arc Apparel stocks ecofriendly line
Vitamin A (from $88); and Nouvelle Nouvelle (302 West Cordova
Street) has maillots covered in
adorable illustrations of fruit and
f lorals ($218 each) from beloved
Danish label Ganni. Guys looking
to get swim-ready should turn to
the Block, where trunks (from $78)
drenched in juicy hues like yellow,
peach, and tangerine from brands
such as Minimum and Nikben
are sure to impress. Some are even
covered in prints of banana leaves
and insects.
Thanks to its dedication to making the dread-inducing experience
of swimwear shopping as painless as possible, however, Nettle’s
is worth a stop. “It’s been great
meeting all the women and working with them,” says Anderson,
“and finding suits that make them
happy.” -

straight stars
> B Y ROSE MA RC U S

May 10 to 16, 2018

K

eep on watch for Tuesday.
The new moon in Taurus
fuels all matters to do with
money, self-worth, ownership, resources, and survival. Invigorated by two planets on significant sign
changes, it is no ordinary new moon.
The big news of the day is the ingress
of Uranus into Taurus, a transit we
havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen in 84 years. Anyone born
from 1934 to 1942 will have Uranus in
Taurus as a natal signature.
Uranus in Taurus, a transit that
will extend to 2026, revolutionizes
everything we consider of value, from
actual money to the worth we place
on person, place, concept, or thing.
The proliferation of the bitcoin industry and the legalization of recreational pot are well aligned with this
transit. The renewable-energy industry is also; it is one of the most fruitful
abundance-generating potentials of
forward thinker Uranus in Taurus.
Uranus in Taurus is also a destabilizing influence. As the shock-andtrauma planet makes its way through
the sign of the Earth, it also describes
what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll face if the decision makers
continue to stubbornly insist on burying their heads in Alberta oilsands.
Also, on new-moon Tuesday Mars
begins an extended tour of Aquarius.
Mars on the move is usually a six-week
transit, but due to a retrograde cycle
(end of June through end of August),
Mars will tenant Aquarius through
to the middle of November. Social
trends, revolutions, and politics will
stay dialled up. Explore more; experiment; liberate yourself. Personal and
lifestyle reinvention is well timed.

ARIES

March 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;April 19

Saturday/Sunday
and
Tuesday/Wednesday can jettison you
someplace unexpected. Mercury,
Mars, and Uranus prompt a quick reaction or snap decision. A key someone could play catalyst or instigator.
What is it worth? Uranus in Taurus
and Mars in Aquarius catapult you
into a new line of thinking and feeling your way along. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll prompt a
major shift regarding how you process, relate, and create.

TAURUS

April 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;May 20

A new chapter begins now.
Something sudden, unexpected, exceptional, or even life-altering could
be headed your way. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll feel the
fullest effect of Uranus entering
Taurus if you are born on or near
April 20. Saturday/Sunday can be
instigating. Tuesday/Wednesday hits
Go on a new career path or lifestyle, a
severing of ties, a major shift of priorities, or another important upgrade.
GEMINI

May 21â&#x20AC;&#x201C;June 21

Mercury, Uranus, and
Mars aim to shake, not stir, especially
on Saturday/Sunday and Tuesday/
Wednesday. All three are good for
clearing the air, setting the record
straight, freeing yourself of it, and
exploring more. All three add more
tangibility to the ripe-and-ready potentials. Take a risk on something or
someone new. Intuition, creativity,
courage, and initiative serve you well.

CANCER

June 21â&#x20AC;&#x201C;July 22

This next week or so can jettison you someplace in a way you did
not anticipate. Uranus and Mars can
fast-track a circumstance and/or personal reinvention. Both can radically
alter your finances or relationship
status. To the plus, Tuesday/Wednesday can spark fresh incentive and opportunity. Now or soon, watch for new
prospects, people, clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or perhaps
a special someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;to enter your life.

LEO

July 22â&#x20AC;&#x201C;August 22

midâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;next week, Mercury, Uranus,
and Mars can kick-start something
unexpected. Impulse or reactive emotions can get the better of you. A conversation can touch a nerve or strike
flint on a great idea. Think outside of
the box; seize opportunity.

VIRGO

August 22â&#x20AC;&#x201C;September 22

Uranus in Taurus can
be good news for your sign. Look
around; thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fresh opportunity for
the taking. A new job is well-timed.
Explore alternative healing or seek
the help of a specialist. Uranus and
Mars can reinvent your day-to-day
and your future. A growth spurt
starts now; even so, there are rough
spots to iron out over this next week.

LIBRA

September 22â&#x20AC;&#x201C;October 23

Mercury, Uranus, and
the new moon in Taurus can boost
financial prospects. All three can
enhance prospects in the intimacy
department, too. Goodbye and hello
is in the mix; Uranus will continue to
help you break new ground in affairs
of heart and wallet for a good length
of time to come. Mars in Aquarius
pushes Refresh on creativity, love
life, and social involvement.

SCORPIO

October 23â&#x20AC;&#x201C;November 21

Wants, needs, and interests are changing. Uranus in Taurus
will prompt you to reinvent the way
you show up for yourself and forge
your way in the world. There are new
markets to explore, new ways of doing business and making money, and
also new people to meet. The weekend could bring something to hash
out/work out. Tuesday/Wednesday
sets a new reality into play.

SAGITTARIUS

November 21â&#x20AC;&#x201C;December 21

Mercury, Mars, Uranus,
and Tuesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new moon favour all
new initiatives, undertakings, and
projects, especially those that upgrade
your health or wealth. Experimentation is in the mix, but you should
feel that the learning curve is worthwhile. Saturday/Sunday and Tuesday/
Wednesday, an impulse, exchange
of words, discovery, or sudden flash
could get you moving and/or fast-track
you. Someone could surprise you.

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December 21â&#x20AC;&#x201C;January 19

BREAKING NEWS

BREAKING
BR
REA
R
RE
E
EAK
EA
AK
A
K ING
KI
ING N
IN
NEWS
EWS

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BREAKING NEWS

AQUARIUS

January 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;February 18

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve reached breakthrough: itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shatter-the-silence or
bust-up-the-concrete time. Uranus,
your ruler, is on the move. Mars is
too. Saturday/Sunday and Tuesday/
Wednesday can set you full-thrust
into something sudden or unexpected.
Moment-to-moment is your best play.
As best you can, keep tabs on impulsiveness, anger, or reactive emotions.
Stay cool-headed.

Burgoo

CAPRICORN

Uranus in Taurus sets you
up for an exceptional journey of the
heart, this regarding love life, children, your futureâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;in other words,
the bigger-picture stuff. Despite the
uncertain times ahead, the transit
can boost your career prospects and
financial success. Through November, Mars in Aquarius also prioritizes
financial and personal reinvention.

HAVE YOU
BEEN TO...

PISCES

February 18â&#x20AC;&#x201C;March 20

Uranus in Taurus prompts
a new way of seeing, evaluating,
and communicating. Along with
fresh insights, inspirations, and attitude, you can find a new appreciation or interest level for things
or folks you have previously nixed.
Mars in Aquarius keeps you feisty
and energized, perhaps a bit cranky
or moody, too, especially Saturday/
Sunday and Tuesday/Wednesday. -

LIVE
LI
VE

BREAKING NEWS

WED MAY 16 2018
7PM I DOORS 6PM
VOGUE THEATRE

918 GRANVILLE ST

THE WEAPONIZATION OF CULTURE
Ali Velshi:NBC Business Correspondent, Host of MSNBCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sLive with Ali Velshi
A world that has striven to elevate the role of cultural diversity is now undergoing a backlash
in which change, adaptation, and pluralism are being subjugated by bigoted and nativist
Ĺ&#x17E;Ĺ&#x2026;ÄŹÄ&#x153;Ć&#x2039;Ä&#x153;Ă?ÂąÄŹÄľĹ&#x2026;Ć´ĂĽÄľĂĽÄšĆ&#x2039;Ĺ¸ĹŁ:ÄŹĹ&#x2026;Ă&#x2020;ÂąÄŹeĂ˝ÂąÄ&#x153;ĹłĹ¸ÂąÄšĂ&#x161;)Ă?Ĺ&#x2026;ÄšĹ&#x2026;ÄľÄ&#x153;Ă?Ĺ¸ÄŁĹ&#x2026;Ć&#x161;ĹłÄšÂąÄŹÄ&#x153;Ĺ¸Ć&#x2039;eÄŹÄ&#x153;Â&#x161;ĂĽÄŹĹ¸Ä&#x2DC;Ä&#x153;ĂĽĆťÂąÄľÄ&#x153;ÄšĂĽĹ¸Ć&#x2039;Ä&#x2DC;ĂĽĹ¸Ĺ&#x17E;ĹłĂĽÂąĂ&#x161;Ĺ&#x2026;Ăź
culture wars, and cultureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role in both curbing and spreading populist ideals.

Tickets are FREE I Reserve tickets at pwias.ubc.ca

Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day could be B o o k a re a d i n g o r s i g n u p f o r
eventful. Do something special; go Roseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free monthly newsletter at
out of your way to make it so. Through rosemarcus.com/.
MAY 10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 17 / 2018 THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT 13

ENTRÉE
SPECIAL

(with the purchase of beverages)

2 FOR 1

ONE PER DINING EXPERIENCE

FOOD

(se
(second
entrée of equal or lesser value) up to
$15 Valid until May 31, 2018. Not valid with other
$15.
cou
coupons
or other in-house offers or event nights.
Gra
Gratuities
based on TOTAL bill before discount.

other’s Day is this Sunday (May 13), people,
and the last thing you
want to do is end up at a
drugstore finding a last-minute gift.
Now is the time to figure out where
you’re going to take Mom for a memorable meal. Here are a few options
to show her you care over a delicious
dinner or brunch.
UMAMI MOMMY Ma gets her pick

of gyozas (pork or chili-shrimp teppan
or lettuce-wrapped crispy-chicken
taco) as just one part of the celebratory
dinner ($60 for two) at Gyoza Bar (622
West Pender Street). The meal also
includes a “bao board” with maplegarlic chicken or soy-garlic tenderloinbeef skewers, Korean spiced pork rib,
or miso-baked “scallop dynamite”
and more. For dessert—drum roll,
please—a platter with mochi ice cream Enjoy penne con gamberi e zucchini
(frozen treats consisting of ice cream at Sopra Sotto on Commercial Drive.
wrapped in various flavours of rice
dough) and green-tea cheesecake. At MAMA MIA Be one of the first
Minami (1118 Mainland Street), the in town to visit the newly opened
Mother’s Day Premium Zen lunch Sopra Sotto Pizzeria (1510 Com($45) features eight seasonal kobachi mercial Drive) in the heart of Little
(“small bowl”) items, such as Fraser Italy. Choose tagliatelle with truffle, sausage, and
Valley miso-dongmixed
mushpo (sweet, soyrooms (it sounds
braised) pork belly
so much more
with
togarashi
Gail Johnson
divine in Italian:
chicharron (spice
blend), and miso-sakekasu (sake lees) tagliatelle con funghi, salsiccia, e
king salmon with marinated Japanese tartuffo) or penne with prawns and
eggplant, as well as aburi (flame- zucchini as part of a three-course
seared) sushi and green-tea opera cake meal ($35) that ends with tiramisu
for dessert. Dinner centres on chef or torta della nonna (lemon cusSeigo Nakamura’s premium sashimi tard with almonds and pine nuts in
shortbread crust). Cibo Trattoria
platter ($40 per person).

Best Eats

(900 Seymour Street) is offering
its regular menu for brunch and
dinner as well as an evening fourcourse prix fixe ($65). For the latter, pick a primi: prosciutto-andmascarpone ravioli made with beet
dough and served with nettle-andalmond pesto and Parmesan fondue
(yes, please) or preserved-lemon
tagliatelle with dried tomato, arugula, chili, garlic, and olive oil. Secondi choices are bison tenderloin
with braised kale, crispy-roasted
mushroom polenta with asparagus
salad, and pan-seared halibut with
spring-pea risotto.
THE PIE’S THE LIMIT There’s
nothing wrong with pizza for
Mother’s Day, given the quality
of pies you can find in Vancouver.
The tiny, cozy Corduroy Pie Company (758 West 16th Avenue) nails
it with crazy-good combos like
bacon and Brussels sprouts with
capers and roasted onions or cured
pork, roasted butternut squash, and
parsley-walnut pesto with Parmesan and goat cheese. (Plus, beer on
tap.) Mom really gets a break over
dinner at Rocky Mountain Flatbread (4186 Main Street and 1876
West 1st Avenue): the kids get to go
off and make their own pies, rolling the dough and all, so she can sip
wine and have an actual conversation with her partner. That’s from
5 to 7 p.m.; the rest of the day, she
gets a free, warm double-chocolate
brownie with her meal.

Brunch and dinner both come in extravagant
East-meets-West buffet form at
Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar
(845 Burrard Street) in the Sutton
Place Hotel ($80 for adults, $35 for
kids). Look for mimosa trolley service and seafood selections such as
smoked steelhead trout and albacore tataki during the day; evening options include stations with
carved prime strip loin, roasted
leg of lamb, and porchetta, as well
as others serving up clam chowder, West Coast paella, and smoked
sablefish. At the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, YEW Seafood + Bar
(791 West Georgia Street) sets up
several wow-calibre carving stations for its Mother’s Day brunch
($99 for adults, $50 for children
aged six to 12, $25 for those under
five): beef Wellington, salt-baked
salmon, porchetta with fennel
slaw, and chorizo-and-B.C.-clam
pasta. Then there are raw-seafood
and oyster bars, prawn hash, and
cheese and charcuterie boards with
honeycomb, house-made pickles,
Mediterranean olives, pecan bread,
and more, all alongside traditional dishes like salmon Benny and
French toast. Retro desserts include
Grandma’s old-fashioned chocolate
cake, strawberry shortcake, caramelized apple pie, trifle, pecancaramel tart, and bananas Foster
with house-made ice creams. -

QUEEN MOM

ARTS

The year is 1665,
B Y A L EX A NDER VAR TY

and from the shores
of the St. Lawrence River, near Montreal, two
Mohawk children, Kateri and Jean-Baptiste, are
witnessing an increasingly frequent spectacle:
the docking and unloading of a European galleon. This one, however, is carrying an especially rare and valuable cargo in the form of young
women. The filles du roi, as they’re known, have
been chosen to join their male countrymen in
what must seem a strange and forbidding new
land—but at least one of them will also find
an unexpected affinity with her Indigenous
welcomers.
That’s the starting point for Les Filles du Roi,
the new musical from Corey Payette and Julie
McIsaac, and while it’s not a prequel to Payette’s
powerful residential-school saga, Children of
God, it can be seen as exploring the roots of the
system that allowed for the systematic abuse of
Aboriginal children.
“What stands as a connecting piece for the
two is that they’re really about shifting our
perspectives to allow ourselves to experience
these histories through an Indigenous perspective, or through the perspective of women,
who’ve been underrepresented and whose stories haven’t been documented in the same way as
the standard white-male perspective,” Payette
explains, on the line with McIsaac from a Granville Island rehearsal space. “That’s definitely a
through-line that’s carried in both works.”
What’s different is that Les Filles du Roi
intertwines Indigenous and settler experience
in eye-opening new ways, pointing out the connections between cultures as well as the clashes,
and perhaps positing a way of moving forward
through those shared histories.
“It’s a big ‘What if?’ ” McIsaac says, pointing
out that the young Frenchwomen were coming into a world that, unlike their priest-ridden

Remembering
Les Filles du Roi

Both Julie McIsa ac and Corey Payette have personal connections to
17th-century history and languages in their new musical Les Filles du Roi.

Lespérance. And for complexities, it really has been such a fulfilling
both artists it’s been an experience, both personally and artistically—
opportunity to explore and one that I feel like I’m not alone in. There
not just a multicul- are Indigenous people all across Canada who
Corey Payette and Julie McIsaac follow up his Children of God
tural perspective, but a are reclaiming their language, and I feel like
with a musical trilingual tale of women shipped to a new land
multilingual one. The this piece will speak to all of those people’s exstory is told in French, periences and what they are drawn to, as well.”
homeland, was organized around matriarchal English, and Kanien’kéha, and the mere act of
McIsaac’s connection to the story is even
lines. “What if, on arrival, the European set- putting this Mohawk dialect on-stage has pro- more intimate: in researching Les Filles du Roi,
tlers, as opposed to trying to assimilate the found ramifications, Payette feels.
she found that one of her own forebears, on her
people that were already here, what if they lis“It’s groundbreaking,” he says. “The
francophone mother’s side, was on that 1665
tened and learned from the people living here language holds so much culture, and
ship, or at least one much like it.
on the land at the time? What if they learned it inspires me because I know that
“It’s a piece of our history that even
from those teachings and incorporated those language holds our songs, and those
Check out…
my mom and her sisters didn’t know
STRAIGHT.COM
teachings instead? What might our contempor- songs hold our dances, and then
about. Was there something in me
Visit our website
ary society look like?”
those dances will tell a new story.
or something in my family’s history
for morning-after
McIsaac links her take on the story, which And so, for me, I feel like there’s a
that was urging me forward before
reviews
and
local
she’s been interested in since first hearing about movement coming where, through
I even knew?” she asks. “So if other
arts news
the filles du roi in a Grade 8 history class, to that language, our entire culture will
Canadians are inspired to dig into
contemporary social movements such as #Me- be shifted, and our entire culture will
their own family history by virtue of
Too. “Think about the things that women are be able to build outwards, and we will see
coming to see this show, I think that would
still dealing with in terms of violence, in terms ourselves differently in the future.”
be wonderful. Like Corey says, our ancestors
of not feeling respected and not feeling honThe long process of creating Les Filles du Roi aren’t that far away from us; some people beoured and feeling afraid all the time,” she says. has led both Payette and McIsaac to see them- lieve that they’re right here with us at every mo“If we had learned more from the societies ex- selves differently, too. Payette is Oji-Cree, with ment. So that’s there to be found out; it’s there
isting here on the land when we first arrived, some French-Canadian heritage, but he’s re- to be connected with—and I think it can only
maybe that wouldn’t be the case today.”
cently learned that one side of his family moved strengthen us and help us move forward.” Les Filles du Roi is a true collaboration: Payette to northern Ontario from Mohawk terrain.
has composed the music, for a small ensemble of
“My great-grandmother spoke Kanien’kéha, Fugue Theatre and Raven Theatre, in associapiano, violin, viola, cello, and a variety of First English, and French,” he says. “So now, re- tion with Urban Ink and the Cultch, present Les
Nations drums; he and McIsaac wrote the book turning to the language and trying to under- Filles du Roi at the York Theatre from Tuesday
and lyrics; she plays the central fille, Marie-Jeanne stand it and trying to learn all of its internal (May 15) to May 27.

THINGS TO DO

ARTS
High five

Editor’s choice
THE KEYS TO HAYDN Primo piano star Paul Lewis wants to
show you the lighter side of Franz Joseph Haydn when he closes the
Vancouver Recital Society’s season. The artist’s usual deep research
into his subject has revealed a composer with a quick wit and a feel for
the absurd. On Sunday, he’ll juxtapose Haydn’s sonatas with those of
two other Austro-German masters: the late piano works of Johannes
Brahms and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Bagatelles and Diabelli Variations.
There’ll be more: the concert is the second in a four-part odyssey into
the works of Haydn, Brahms, and Beethoven. Prepare to hear all of
them in a moving, and sometimes funny, new light. The Vancouver Recital Society presents Paul Lewis at the
Vancouver Playhouse on Sunday (May 13).

Five events you just
can’t miss this week

1

THE SHOW (To May 20 at Emily Carr University
of Art + Design) Art grads put on an epic, immersive journey into media arts, painting, sculpture,
film, and much more.

2

MOM=WOW (May 13 at the Improv Centre)
Vancouver TheatreSports League helps you
laugh your way through Mother’s Day.

3

KLANGFORUM HEIDELBERG (May 11 at
the Red Gate Revue Stage) Two stellar German
ensembles of contemporary and ancient music
make a rare visit.

4

WET (To May 27 at the Russian Hall) An audience of just 28 moves from a military tent to a living room, amid the fallout of the Afghanistan war.

5

BEST BROTHERS (To May 19 at the Kay Meek
Centre) Daniel MacIvor pens a sibling showdown
like no other.

In the news

AUDAIN ACCOLADES Patkau Architects’ design for the Audain
Art Museum in Whistler has been named a winner of one of this
year’s Governor General’s Medals in Architecture. It’s the only B.C.
building among the dozen named in the Royal Architectural Institute
of Canada and Canada Council for the Arts announcement. It joins
a cross-country list that includes an international airport, a park
pavilion, a small hospital, and a library in a 170-year-old church. The
biennial awards celebrate outstanding design in recently completed
projects by Canadian architects. In its comments the jury stated: “This
is a structure that is, among other things, a total response to site
conditions. The architects have taken exceptional care to position the
building in deference to the existing trees and over the seasonal flood
plane, keeping the building’s footprint at a minimum.” MAY 10 – 17 / 2018 THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT 15

Adding to that journey, MacKenzie, with the help of producers
at Alberta Aboriginal Performing
Arts, spent time listening, firsthand, to the Cree origin story from
elders Jerry and Jo-Ann Saddleback—two of only a handful who
know the full creation tale. That’s
ref lected in a lot of the animals
and plants he’s woven into the
work. “I sat down with the elders
for a couple hours every day. And
it was just incredible to hear about
the porcupine, the wild strawberry,
and all those things,” he says.
But the nature and wildlife that
permeate the play were all around
MacKenzie in Canmore, too. “I
was very, very in tune with nature
there,” he recalls. “In the paper
there, often the front-page news is
animal news, so everybody knows
these really weird facts about cougars and wolves.”
All of that inspiration has fed a
play that defies genre—it’s a blend of
chase story, identity search, ode to
Indigenous spirituality, dark comedy,
interdisciplinary spectacle, and ecoactivist plea. Multimedia projections
create the settings with an immersive
electronic soundscape as former tarsands worker Floyd makes his way
to British Columbia via the pipeline
trail. And eight dancers join him, acting like a kind of Greek chorus while
taking the forms of various animals
and supernatural beings.
“That spiritual awakening that
Floyd has, and that I had, is really
hard to put into words—and so
is that relationship with nature,”
MacKenzie explains. “For me, dance
is magic and that just made sense.”
And as for the heated issue of the
Kinder Morgan pipeline? In Bears,
Floyd starts to see the effect of his
role in the oilpatch on the natural
world. But MacKenzie does hope
to prompt discussion amid all the
issue’s divided sides. And actor Sheldon Elter, who just appeared here in
his one-man show Métis Mutt, plays
a big role in that.
“The character in the show has
worked in the oilpatch his whole
life and a lot of his jobs, Sheldon has
done,” MacKenzie says. “He’s worked
in the patch and his family has. We
were very keen not to damn the
working man, I guess you’d say.
“That was so oil workers could
come and see the show and relate
to it and talk about it—just like an
activist could.” -

atthew
MacKenzie
couldn’t have predicted
how much the Kinder
Morgan Trans Mountain Pipeline would dominate the
headlines when he chose it as a subject for his play Bears.
A previous iteration of his script
had found its protagonist, an Indigenous oil worker from Alberta,
f leeing a workplace accident along
the route of the Northern Gateway
Pipeline. When that project died,
he relocated Bears to the proposed
Kinder Morgan route between Edmonton and Burnaby. And then all
hell broke loose between B.C. and
Alberta and activists exploded into
action. The show, which has played
Toronto and throughout Wild Rose
Country, now opens here, ground
zero for the fight, at a time when
the conf lict is peaking.
“It’s been quite something for
that issue to keep going and growing, with things reaching a ridiculous level with the threats to B.C.,”
the playwright tells the Straight
from the Alberta capital, which has
warned of an oil embargo against
this province. “It’s that thing artists often strive for; you want to be
talking about the here and now. We
never expected it to reach this level.
And doing Vancouver last—we’re
excited to share the piece.”
Still, it’s not as if MacKenzie
sought to write a play ripped from
today’s headlines. It turns out the
genesis for Bears was much more
personal than political for the young
Canadian playwright and director.
The journey started back around
2013, when he was living in Toronto and “feeling kind of spiritually
empty”, he explains. He dropped
everything and went to live with
friends in the mountains of Canmore. While there, he delved deeply
into the writings of his grandfather,
Vern Wishart, who had meticulously pieced together the family’s longhidden Métis heritage.
“He’d lost his father before he
learned he was Métis,” MacKenzie says. “And when he was at the
hospital with his mother passing
away, there was a woman from her
small town in the bed beside her,
and he heard her saying, ‘Those
are Wisharts—they’re half-breeds,
you know.’ ” That sent MacKenzie’s
grandfather and his great-aunt on
a journey of research that would
uncover Cree, Ojibwa, and Métis Bears plays the Cultch’s Historic
Theatre until Saturday (May 12).
ancestral roots.

Vancouver Cantata Singers artistic director Paula Kremer will take on
themes of life and death for the Kantatefeier program to mark the occasion.

Cantata Singers tap
joy for their 60th
A celebratory new work by Jocelyn Morlock joins
the likes of J.S. Bach on a rousing birthday program
> B Y A LE XAN DER VAR TY

I
presenting
sponsor

The cast. Photo by David Cooper

playing at
stanley
industrial
alliance
stage

HAVE YOU
BEEN TO...

Fassil

Ethiopian Resaurant

20 THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT MAY 10 – 17 / 2018

granville
island
stage

goldcorp
stage at the
bmo theatre
centre

fassil.ca

t’s a bright Saturday morning,
the scent of summer is in the
air, and in her South Surrey
townhouse Paula Kremer is
thinking of… Well, she’s thinking
of death. But she’s also thinking of
life, and light, and most of all she’s
thinking about Kantatefeier, the
program she’s assembled to mark
the 60th anniversary of the Vancouver Cantata Singers, the ensemble she’s helmed since 2013.
It is not, she admits, a particularly rah-rah confection. Musical
scholars suggest, for instance, that
opening number “Lieber Herr Gott,
wecke uns auf ”, by Johann Christoph Bach, was sung at Johann
Sebastian Bach’s funeral, in 1750.
And J.C.’s sober message will be
echoed in J.S.’s concluding piece,
“Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme”,
although in that work, which posits Jesus as “the bridegroom of the
soul”, there is an underpinning
sensuality and joy.
“So much of this music, even
though it’s almost funeral music,
could be done at Christmastime
as well,” Kremer tells the Straight.
“It’s just so interesting!”
She explains that the Bachs’
music—which was intended to be
performed in a liturgical context,
whether funereal or not—is largely
about the radiant awakening believers can expect in heaven. “So how
do I relate that to someone who isn’t
Christian, or who doesn’t have that
belief?” she asks. “Well, one thing
that unites us all is that it’s a given
that we all are going to die. So that
is, right there, something that unifies all of us on this Earth.”
We should probably specify that
Kremer doesn’t sound particularly
downcast about any of this. In

fact, she’s bubbling with so much
enthusiasm for her choir and its
music that trying to explain it, she
says, leaves her almost “tonguetied”. Still, she makes the point
that the deep feeling in the Bachs’
music encompasses vernal excitement as well as autumnal rumination, “wecke uns auf ” and “wachet
auf ” both translating, more or less,
as “Wake up!” And in that spirit of
the fresh and new, Kremer decided
to bolster the Cantata Singers’ program by commissioning a piece,
Io, Io, from Vancouver Symphony
Orchestra composer in residence
Jocelyn Morlock.
“It’s really a beautiful connection,” she explains. “I met with
Jocelyn a year ago and said that
we would love to have her write a
celebratory piece for us—for the
Vancouver Cantata Singers, as we
celebrate our 60th—to have on the
last program of the year. But here’s
the sticker: it’s all Bach, and Jocelyn
doesn’t write, obviously, in Bach’s
choral style. So how could we fit it
into the program design? I love designing programs that tell a story
or have thematic threads, so it isn’t
just a program of beautiful, beautiful music to listen to.”
Morlock’s answer was to quote
Philipp Nicolai’s text for “Wachet
auf, ruft uns die Stimme”. “It’s ‘No
eye has ever seen/no ear has ever
heard/such joy,’ ” Kremer says.
“And on behalf of the Cantata
Singers, I would say that speaks to
our joy that we’ve made it to 60
years, and that we’re singing
together, and that we’re able to do
this concert.” The Vancouver Cantata Singers
present Kantatefeier! A Cantata
Celebration at Christ Church Cathedral on Saturday (May 12).

ARTS

Local dancer fetes work of
beloved Japanese teacher
> BY JA NET SM IT H

T

o understand why Vancouver’s Colleen Lanki is staging
a concert celebrating the life
and work of a late Japanese
dance master, you have to understand
how their paths intersected. That, and
how Fujima Yūko effectively changed
the course of Lanki’s life and career.
Lanki moved from Toronto to
Tokyo in 1995, planning to teach
English and take in live Japanese
performing arts for a year before
moving home again.
“But then I saw a kabuki play and
it moved me so much,” Lanki tells
the Straight on a rehearsal break. “I
asked artist friends about finding a
teacher, which is not easy—you really
have to be introduced and you commit to the long term.”
She was finally introduced to traditional-Japanese-dance teacher Fujima
Yūko, and they instantly hit it off—despite the fact that Lanki was from a
country far removed from Japan.
“I loved her. She was amazing,”
Lanki enthuses. “She had had one
other foreign student, a ballet dancer
from Paris. And she thought, ‘Wow,
people can do this from overseas. This
should be practised everywhere.’
“She was completely open, but a
very traditional teacher,” the artistic
director of Vancouver’s TomoeArts
says. “She was the reason I stayed in
Tokyo for six-and-a-half years.”
Before Lanki left for Canada again,
Fujima Yūko bestowed on her one of
the highest honours: a dance name, Fujima Sayū—symbolically, one that uses
the same “ū” character as her teacher’s
name does. “That puts me in one of
the larger Japanese traditions and also
means I’m her deshi, or her disciple.”
Fujima Yūko died in 2003, but in the
past few years, Lanki has been working her way through boxes of archival

An archival photo of Fujima Yuko
joins an exhibit in the theatre lobby.

materials, like old photos and VHS recordings of some of her dances.
Yūko-kai: A Concert of Japanese
Dance actually revives two of Fujima
Yūko’s original choreographies that
Lanki found in old videotapes. Lanki
herself will join dancer Ryan Caron
in Ama, a dance-play about a diver
who steals a magic pearl from an
underwater dragon king. Elsewhere,
Japan’s Fujima Shōgo will dance
the battle tale Yashima. Also on the
program is Lanki’s “sister disciple”,
Fujima Minako, dancing the elegant
geisha-style Kane no Misaki.
Audience members can also take in
an exhibit of photographs of Fujima
Yūko in the lobby of the Dance Centre.
“I’ve got a postcard of her dancing
at 12 years old,” Lanki says of the
epic project, “and the last one is dated January 17, 2003. The next day she
was leaving the dressing room and
collapsed in the hallway.” She danced
right till the end—and if this devoted
deshi has her way, Fujima Yūko’s creations will continue to live. TomoeArts presents Yuko-kai—A Concert
of Japanese Dance at the Scotiabank
Dance Centre on Saturday (May 12).

Speaking in the documenfilm Meet Beau Dick:
Maker of Monsters, the esteemed
Kwakwaka’wakw artist mused on the
enduring importance of the cedar
tree to his people. Dick, who died last
year at the age of 61, also considered
the sense of spiritual connection he
experienced when he carved a block
of wood taken from an ancient cedar.
Early on, the understanding came to
him that what he was making—a
mask, perhaps—was an ongoing part
of the tree’s life. As form emerged
through his carving, he realized that
“Something else was making this all
happen. It wasn’t me—I was just part
of it.” Then he added, “This art form
is ceremonial… It’s given to us as a
gift of the Creator.”
An excerpt from the film is playing
at the Audain Art Museum in Whistler, a moving complement to the museum’s retrospective exhibition Beau
Dick: Revolutionary Spirit. Dick had
a larger-than-life presence, reflected
in the impressive scale of some of his
later depictions of Kwakwaka’wakw
entities and elements, such as his
Wind Mask, a work both subtle and
powerful, made in 2016 and some
four-and-a-half feet in height. Yet, in
the film, Dick speaks softly and gently, almost reverently, in keeping, it
seems, with the reverence he felt not
only for his cultural heritage, but for
all life. A sense prevailing throughout
the show is that his works emanate
the energy and commitment of the
man who made them. Still, it isn’t all
seriousness and solemn respect here.
Woven into Dick’s art are strands of
Trickster-like humour and bawdiness: a skeletal Winalagalis puppet
with an erect penis and dangling tes-

2 tary

A large Dzunukwa mask is part of the
Audain’s Beau Dick retrospective.

ticles; a slyly named grouping of four
painted deer skins; a Killer Whale
headdress with a plastic action figure
standing on its back.
Curated by the AAM’s Darrin
Martens and the artist’s daughter
Linnea Dick, Revolutionary Spirit
celebrates a man who was much
more than an artist. To his creative
persona, add hereditary chief and
community leader, teacher and mentor, political and cultural activist,
storyteller and ceremonialist. The
big and ambitious show surveys his
career across some four decades,
from a leather purse carved and
painted with a Sisiutl design to dance
masks produced not long before his
death. It outlines the unbroken line
of Kwakwaka’wakw carvers who
taught and influenced him; reveals
his interest in mastering styles outside his particular cultural heritage; gives examples of the artists he
studied and collaborated with; and
highlights younger artists who were

mentored by him. It also points out
some of the themes and characters
to which he kept returning, such as
the bloody-lipped Dzunukwa, the
Wild Woman of the Woods, and the
ghostly Bukwus, who captures the
souls of the drowned.
Dick died unexpectedly in March
2017, just before his art’s international debut at Documenta 14 in Athens,
Greece. An entire gallery is given over
to Undersea Kingdom, the cycle of 18
masks exhibited there, which tell the
story of Yo’lakwame, his adventures
in the underworld, and his travels on
the back of a supernatural whale. Imbued with environmental as well as
cultural meaning, most of the lively
and characterful masks on view had
been or were intended to be danced,
although a couple of them, such as a
big, red Sculpin, were designed to be
hung on the wall. Their diverse display here exemplifies Dick’s ability
to create ceremonial works for use by
his own nation and more “secular”
art meant for exhibition and sale.
This dual approach to art-making
is evident throughout the show, with
works such as his impressive Hamatsa dance masks, executed in more
“traditional” Kwakwaka’wakw scale,
style, and palette, and some of his Dzunukwa and Bukwus masks, again,
monumental in size and bearing
Dick’s particular and innovative way
of working. His carving here is often
subtly modulated, his paint application is matte and his colours muted,
often ranging through blacks, greys,
and whites. The pigments appear to
have been sparely applied and then
carefully rubbed or sanded down,
giving them the patina of old age.
Beau Dick: Revolutionary Spirit
is a moving tribute to a beloved artist and multifaceted human being.
It ably demonstrates the wonders he
realized from the gift bestowed upon
him by his Creator.
> ROBIN LAURENCE

THEATRE
2OPENINGS
MAMMA MIA! The Arts Club Theatre
Company presents a feel-good musical
featuring the music of ABBA. May 10–Aug
12, Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage (2750
Granville). Tix from $29, info www.artsclub.
com/shows/2017-2018/mamma-mia/.
MARION BRIDGE A Wing and a Prayer
presents a play about three estranged
sisters who return home to Cape Breton
to care for their dying mother. May 10-16,
7:30 pm; May 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 2 pm, Kay
Meek Centre (1700 Mathers Ave., West
Van). Tix $29-45, info www.kaymeek.com/.
TOLKIEN The tale of how Narnia and
Middle Earth came to be is chronicled
in a new play by Pacific Theatre artistic
director Ron Reed. May 11–Jun 9, 8-10:40
pm, Pacific Theatre (1440 W. 12th). Tix $2036.50, info pacifictheatre.org/season/20172018-season/mainstage/tolkien/.
LES FILLES DU ROI (THE KING’S
DAUGHTERS) Urban Ink presents the
world premiere of a new Canadian musical by Corey Payette and Julie McIsaac.
May 15-27, York Theatre (639 Commercial).
Tix $10-46, info www.urbanink.ca/.
TRUE WEST Sam Shepard’s classic 1980
tale of sibling rivalry. May 15-19, 15-19, 8-10
pm, The Cultch (1895 Venables). Tix $30,
info www.sonderhouseproductions.org/.

2ONGOING
BEARS Comically dark. Unapologetically
political. A play about pipelines. May 8-12,
The Cultch (1895 Venables). Tix from $22,
info www.thecultch.com/events/bears/.
WET ITSAZOO presents the western
Canadian premiere of David James
Brock’s drama, set during the height of
Canada’s involvement in the Afghanistan
War. May 8-27, Russian Hall (600 Campbell).
Tix from $25 at www.theatrewire.com/, info
itsazoo.org/wet-by-david-james-brock/.

TOMOEARTS: YUKO-KAI TomoeArts
presents a dance-theatre work that’s
steeped in Japanese forms and aesthetics. May 12, 8 pm, Scotiabank Dance
Centre (677 Davie). Tix $39/29, info
www.thedancecentre.ca/tomoearts/.
NEW WORKS AT NIGHT New Works
closes its 2017-2018 season with a double
bill featuring the work of three local artists who explore essential questions of
what it is to be human. May 12, 8-9:30 pm,
Waterfront Theatre (1412 Cartwright St.,
Granville Island). Tix $20 advance, $25 at
the door, info www.newworks.ca/.

GALLERIES
VANCOUVER ART GALLERY 750 Hornby,
604-662-4719, www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/.
2BOMBHEAD (thematic exhibition
explores the emergence and impact of
the nuclear age as represented by artists
and their art) to Jun 17 2EMILY CARR IN
DIALOGUE WITH MATTIE GUNTERMAN
(new exhibition features the paintings of
Carr with 48 photographs by U.S.–born
photographer Gunterman) to Sep 3

MUSEUMS
MUSEUM OF VANCOUVER 1100 Chestnut
Street, 604-736-4431, www.museumofvan
couver.ca/. 2HAIDA NOW: A VISUAL FEAST
OF INNOVATION AND TRADITION (exhibition guest-curated by Kwiaahwah Jones
features more than 450 works by carvers,
weavers, photographers, and print makers,
collected as early as the 1890s) to Jun 15

THE MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY AT
UBC 6393 NW Marine Drive, 604-822-5087,
www.moa.ubc.ca/. 2CULTURE AT THE
CENTRE (collaboration between six First
Nations communities offers insight into
the work Indigenous-run cultural centres
and museums in B.C. are doing to support their language, culture, and history)
to Oct 8

TIME OUT ARTS LISTINGS
are a public service provided free of charge, based
on available space and editorial discretion. Submit
listings online using the event-submission form at
straight.com/AddEvent. Events that don’t make it
into the paper due to space constraints will appear
on the website.

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Doc reveals Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity of will
The 89-year-old artist achieved celebrity despite a difficult childhood, mental illness, and the deeply ingrained prejudices of the art world
> BY JA NET SM IT H

A

mid all the dizzying,
looped-and-dotted works
that American director
Heather Lenz has managed
to capture in her new documentary
Kusama—Infinity, perhaps nothing
stands out so much as images of the
artist today in her Shinjuku studio.
Interviewed in the film, the
89-year-old Yayoi Kusama sports a
signature scarlet bobbed anime wig
and hot-pink polka-dotted dress,
sitting with her marker at a drawing table, and set against the recent
creations on her wall—a sea of blackand-white spots and jaggedy lines.
“The boundary between Yayoi
Kusama and her art is not very
great,” Lenz tells the Straight from
her home in Orange County. “They
are one and the same.”
It was as a young student majoring in art history and fine art that
Lenz was first drawn to Kusama—
who stood out as one of few female
artists in her textbooks. She saw
an underappreciated talent whose
avant-pop works anticipated Andy
Warhol and others. And as Lenz
dug deeper into the artist’s story,
she found a woman whose struggles
with a difficult childhood and mental illness made her achievements
all the more remarkable.
Today, Kusama is one of the world’s
most celebrated female artists, her kaleidoscopic, multiroom show Infinity
Mirrors drawing throngs of visitors
to galleries like the Art Gallery of
Ontario and the Seattle Art Museum
over the past year. But when Lenz set
out to make her film 17 long years ago,
few had ever heard of Kusama.
“Had I won the lottery, at a certain point I might have made the
film sooner,” Lenz quips. “At a certain point you put so much time and

she’s able to focus on something
she loves to do all day long,” Lenz
says. Still, she wonders if Kusama
would be here at all if her path had
been different—an idea echoed
by the small army of curators and
colleagues she interviews in the
film. “Had she gotten the success
that her white male colleagues did
sooner, would she be in this place?”
she asks. “What is the impact of
someone getting beaten down over
and over?”
Lenz celebrates Kusama’s vast,
prolific range in her film, from the
polka-dot pop art and mirrored
rooms she’s best known for to the
phallic soft sculptures and intricate abstract paintings she created
in the ’60s.
But it’s Kusama’s inner drive that
speaks to her most. It’s the defiance
Kusama showed as a child when her
mother took her art supplies away;
it’s the resolve she displayed when
she first wrote a letter to Georgia
O’Keeffe, who went on to give her
ongoing advice; and it’s the stubbornness she summoned when
she’d complain about her work getting poorer hanging space than her
male colleagues’ in the 1960s.
“It’s her will and ambition and determination to succeed,” says Lenz,
who clearly showed similar tenacity
in getting this documentary made.
“You see that in the film, when she
comes to New York as a woman—
and frankly, there are parallels to
Hollywood right now. It’s her absoYayoi Kusama was already dotty when she joined the pop art scene of the ‘60s, in this still from Heather Lenz’s Kusama—Infinity.
lute refusal to give up and refusal to
Kusama, who worked her way into believe that she’s anything less than
effort and money into it, it’s hard to to do interviews in Japanese. It wasn’t
turn back.…It’s not easy to apply for until 2007 that she was finally able to the New York City art scene from 1957 her male peers. She doesn’t take no
grants if an artist isn’t famous.”
meet the artist, after studying con- to 1972, has continued to produce work for an answer.” in her Tokyo studio since the midLittle by little, Lenz put together versational Japanese and etiquette.
the funding she needed to pay for
“But when I met her she extended 1970s. It’s two blocks from the mental Kusama —Infinity closes the DOXA
Documentary Film Festival on Saturtravel to Japan, to gain the rights her hand and was very pleasant,” hospital where she lives by choice.
“To me, it is the ultimate triumph day (May 12) at SFU Woodward’s (7
to Kusama’s artworks, and to hire Lenz recalls. “And I told her it was
that she found this place where p.m.) and the Vancity Theatre (9 p.m.)
translators, because Kusama prefers the happiest day of my life.”

Geeking out about Freaks

T

> B Y JO HN LU C A S

here’s a moment in Brent Hodge’s new documentary about Freaks and Geeks when Judd Apatow
suggests that the primary force that has driven
his career since that short-lived TV series was
cancelled is a burning desire to flip its naysayers the proverbial bird. That’s why, he claims, he continued to work
with—and make bona fide, bankable stars of—series cast
members Jason Segel, Seth Rogen, and James Franco.
“Part of me thinks the only reason I was in Knocked
Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin is so Judd could prove
some NBC executive wrong—which is totally okay with
me,” a deadpan Rogen says in a separate interview in
Freaks and Geeks: The Documentary. “It doesn’t diminish it, in my eyes. I’m totally okay to have a career that’s
based on vengeance and rage.”
Apatow is possibly joking (well, maybe half joking), but
the fact is that he probably did feel he had something to
prove when NBC axed Freaks and Geeks in 2000 after a
single season, despite near-universal acclaim from critics.
The high-school dramedy set in the early 1980s, which
Paul Feig (Bridesmaids) created and for which Apatow
served as producer in addition to writing and directing
several episodes, has since been hailed as classic and has
developed a considerable cult following.
If Freaks and Geeks was cancelled before its time, it
also existed before its time—or so Hodge argues. “In
1999, it was probably really different, in the sense that it
wasn’t a sitcom, it wasn’t a drama,” the Vancouver-based
filmmaker says when the Straight reaches him in New
York, where Freaks and Geeks: The Documentary is slated
for its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival. “It
was kind of in between. It was filmed differently.”
By 2018 standards, Freaks and Geeks hardly seems out
of place if viewed alongside HBO’s Girls, Netflix series like
Atypical and Everything Sucks!, and even latter-day NBC
shows such as Community and Parks and Recreation. In
its day, though, it seemingly came out of left field, with its
focus on the minutiae of the teenage experience and its cast
of mostly very regular-looking kids. (You definitely weren’t
seeing anyone who resembled Martin Starr or Stephen Lea
Sheppard on Beverly Hills 90210 or Dawson’s Creek.)
“You were seeing a different kind of high-school
show back then, where people in their 20s were playing high-school kids,” Hodge says. “They were super
good-looking; it was just that typical, cookie-cutter
high-school story. This was something very different.
It was before its time in the sense that it didn’t really
have a chance. There weren’t that many places for it
to go, like there are today. I think it would have really
24 THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT MAY 10 – 17 / 2018

Seth Rogen shows us what vengeance and rage look like in
Brent Hodge’s film Freaks and Geeks: The Documentary.

succeeded if it came out today.”
If Freaks and Geeks had continued past its 18-episode
run, mind you, its young cast might never have gone
on to have the remarkable careers they did, both onscreen and behind the scenes. In addition to the aforementioned Rogen-Franco-Segel triumvirate, the show’s
stars included Linda Cardellini (ER, Mad Men), John
Francis Daley (Bones), Samm Levine (Inglourious Basterds), and Busy Philipps (Cougar Town).
“That’s wild to think that the entire cast has gone on to
do such great things,” Hodge marvels. “Like, you look at
so many shows back then—like Saved by the Bell or Boy
Meets World. Where is everyone? But these guys—they
weren’t even on a popular show, but they’ve all lasted.
They’ve all continued to have careers in this industry.”
It’s safe to say we can call that a win for the Apatow
vendetta. As part of the DOXA Documentary Film Festival, Freaks
and Geeks: The Documentary screens at SFU’s Goldcorp
Centre for the Arts on Friday (May 11) at 8:15 p.m. and at
the Cinematheque on Sunday (May 13) at 8 p.m.

MOVIES

Female power gets Revenge Annette Bening gives
> BY A DRIA N M A C K

O

pening Friday (May 11),
Revenge is as lean as they
come, pitting a single woman
against the three men who
left her for dead, impaled on a tree at
the bottom of a desert canyon. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also
an exercise in high style, shot in hot
ochre and cool blue, with its protagonist stalking her prey like an avenging
immortal in bikini underwear, stripping the power from these men bit by
gory bit. (And allegedly sending one
patron into a faint when the film went
megabuzz at TIFFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Midnight Madness screening last year.)
Talking to the Straight from Los
Angeles, French filmmaker Coralie
Fargeat name-checks Kill Bill, Mad
Max, and Duel as movies that worked
the archetypal turf she was aiming
for. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I thought that the desert would

1660 EAST BROADWAY @ COMMERCIAL

not the guyâ&#x20AC;?, it becomes impossible to
ignore the looming presence of raperevenge flicks like 1978â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s I Spit on Your
Grave, which Revenge trounces in terms
of the graphic violence inflicted on its
characters. You wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see a bloodier film
this year. But the director is quick to
make a distinction.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really just a revenge movie,â&#x20AC;? she
says, pointing out that the sexual abuse,
when it comes, is barely depicted at all.
The sequence derives its power from
the unbearable tension that precedes it
and the appalling indifference to Jenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
suffering that follows.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;So for me, the rape scene isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t
the core of the movie,â&#x20AC;? Fargeat says.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think the psychological violence
and the moral violence is even
stronger, with the character who
does nothing and is gonna put the
TV on, and the guy who is gonna tell
the girl that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s her fault.â&#x20AC;? -

take on The Seagull. A set of whirring
romantic triangles that overlap in ways
that are alternately funny and tragic, it
is pure Mozartian farceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;minus most
of the singingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;with a piquant tone
that has informed many movies, most
notably Jean Renoirâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Rules of the
Game. This one is pleasant without being on that level.
Directed by TV veteran Michael
Mayer, it centres on fading actress
Irina Arkadina, played with monstrous charm by Annette Bening, and

takes place at her rambling lakeside
estate not far from Moscow. Irinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
son, Konstantin (Billy Howle), is a
classic 19th-century handwringer
who writes futuristic plays so full of
symbolic overreach, the outdoor summer staging of his latest is halted when
his mom wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop laughing.
The headstrong youngster is infatuated with his lead actress, Nina (Saoirse Ronan), who has more ambition
than talent, as we see when she gradually latches onto Irinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest consort,
a famous author named Boris Trigorin
(Corey Stoll). Later, Konstantin, who
has a thing for guns and moping,
shoots a hapless gull out of the sky and
presents it to Nina as yet another obscure symbolâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;an act that surely gave
rise to the ageless aphorism â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you love
see next page

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be a perfect metaphor and mirror for
whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on in the minds of the
characters,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re becoming more and more wild, they are more
and more alone, far from civilization,
far from humanity, and connecting
with a more visceral part of themselves. So the landscape could really
reflect the soul of the movie.â&#x20AC;?
The setup here is that Jen (Matilda
Lutz) has been shipped to a remote
compound as the mistress of ultrawealthy libertine Richard (Kevin Janssens). When his two hunting buddies
show up for their annual desert killfest, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s assumed sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s there for the
taking, and things get nasty. It gives
nothing away to mention that one of
these men is, rather potently, completely nude and leaking gallons of blood by
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A LANDMARK ADAPTATION.â&#x20AC;?

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We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of
Creative BC and the Province of British Columbia.

LYTTON
FIRST NATION

We thank our other major sponsors for their generous support.

from previous page

something, set it free, kill it, and offer
it to someone you want to intimidate.”
The other would-be, could-be, or
used-to-be lovers include an urbane
doctor (Jon Tenney) still juggling
numerous affairs, including a past
one with Polina (Mare Winningham),
married to the boorish estate keeper
(Glenn Fleshler). Polina’s daughter,
Masha (Elisabeth Moss), is crazy about
Konstantin. Or maybe just crazy. She
drinks away her days and dresses in
black—“I’m in mourning for my life”
is the play’s most famous line—while
ignoring an impoverished schoolteacher (Michael Zegen) who lives for
her. Meanwhile, Irina’s elder brother
(Brian Dennehy) casts a jaded eye on
the white-people problems at hand.
Stephen Karam’s script feels rushed
and has a curiously modern ring to it,
as does most of the acting. The sense of
Romanov Russia on the eve of revolution is lost here. Howle, soon to be seen
opposite Ronan in another period piece,
On Chesil Beach, seems particularly
miscast—too mature to convince as the
wobbly, immature Konstantin. Fortunately, Bening isn’t bothered by any of
that. Her Irina is an undying swan, and
not about to be put off by lowlier birds.
> KEN EISNER

REVENGE
Starring Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz.
In English and French, with English
subtitles. Rated 18A

The bluntly titled Revenge is

2 about just one thing. Its people

are two-dimensional characters
acting out primal urges in a nameless place. For her feature debut,
French writer-director Coralie Fargeat has come up with something so
brutally atavistic, specifics would
only get in the way.
Events centre on a woman called
Jen. She’s played by Matilda Anna
Ingrid Lutz—not multiple Scandinavians but just one Italian, speaking English here, if very little of it.
Jen might be in show biz. Our first
glimpse of her is while she’s descending from a helicopter in Lolita
shades with matching lollipop.
The craft has landed on a promontory in the middle of a vast desert
(Moroccan, in fact), just by a luxury
villa so supermodern it has a giant
painting of the Virgin Mary competing with the infinity pool. Jen arrives with a handsome millionaire
named Richard (Kevin Janssens),
who could be some sort of politician. He’s definitely married, judging from cellphone conversations
with someone about table settings at
an upcoming dinner party.
Things are okay until Richard’s
hunting buddies show up a day early.
Do I really need to go on? I mean,
“hunting buddies” should be enough,
but Jen decides to keep partying with
this macho claque. And if that includes wearing next to nothing while
dancing around them like a manic
sex pixie, they shouldn’t make assumptions. They do, though, and
when Richard leaves for a few hours,
Fargeat sets in motion a cruel match
that’s as much about sexual politics as
about survival.
This is where the young filmmaker
shows talent for more than bloody
provocation and wide-screen geometry: the instigator (Vincent Colombe)
turns out to be the least violence-prone
of the three; the nonparticipant (Guillaume Bouchède) is a sadist; and the
supposed boyfriend is the one who
wants her erased from the picture.
What follows is a kind of Tomb Raider–meets–Mad Max: Fury Road, with
our pussycat heroine reborn as an
avenging angel. She even ends up with
scars that resemble gothic wings.
The pain comes amid techno
music and rapid-fire editing, and
some tropes are upended in striking
ways. The principal male antagonist,
for example, spends the last battle
entirely naked. Some viewers will
certainly find the whole subject too
loaded a topic for even the most kinetic comeuppance. But there’s a case
to be made for adrenaline as an
antidote to toxic masculinity.
> KEN EISNER

MUSIC

A YouTuber gave Yung Heazy a big boost
Jordan Heaney might be the

2 most famous local indie rocker

you’ve never heard of. The 23-yearold musician, who releases music
under the name Yung Heazy, may
have a fairly low profile at home,
but online he’s something of a viral
sensation—a status he owes almost
entirely to Alona Chemerys.
“Who the hell is Alona Chemerys?” is a perfectly reasonable reaction to that last statement, and the
short answer is that she’s a YouTube
tastemaker who regularly posts videos that consist of nothing more than
a still image soundtracked by a song
she likes. Chemerys’s channel has
around 208,000 subscribers, which
is not a huge number by YouTube
standards, but her musical selections
evidently resonate with those who
happen upon them. Her most popular
video—which features “My Jinji” by
Taiwan-based popsters Sunset Rollercoaster—has over 5.6 million views.
Last July, Chemerys uploaded a
video that included a Yung Heazy
song called “Cuz You’re My Girl”;
that video has accrued almost three
million views to date.
“She’s a girl from the Ukraine,”
Heaney says during an interview
with the Straight at West Broadway’s
Storm Crow Alehouse on a recent
Friday afternoon. “I have no idea how
she found the song. I just put it up on
SoundCloud, and it had, like, 100 plays
or something. She somehow found the
song through the depths of the Internet and decided to put it on her channel. And it just happened organically.
People started sharing and listening
to it. I didn’t even know it was up
there for, like, a good two weeks. No
one contacted me about it. It’s a weird
story. I didn’t have any control over it.”
Indeed, the song—a mini masterpiece of bedroom indie pop that
conjures visions of Mac DeMarco
jamming to the Beatles’ “Don’t Let
Me Down”—has taken on a life of its
own. Fans have uploaded their own
cover versions to YouTube, someone
put the lyrics on Genius.com (with
annotations), and if you’re itching
to learn it yourself, you can find the
chords to “Cuz You’re My Girl” on
Ultimate-Guitar.com. Not bad for
something that started life as a Valentine’s Day gift for Heaney’s girlfriend.
In other words, the song has become
a hit without the benefit of airplay or
even a release on a physical format.
The latter will be rectified on June
1, when Yung Heazy releases its first
album, Whenever You’re Around I
Hate Everything Less. It’s essentially a
one-man project, as Heaney explains.
“Yung Heazy is me, Jordan—I record
everything, I produce it, I wrote all
the songs.”
On-stage, Heaney is joined by
guitarist Cole Frizell, bassist Ken
Clarke, and drummer Christopher
Marriott. In the studio—or, more
precisely, in his parents’ North Vancouver basement—he prefers to go it
alone. “I like kind of being the dictator of everything with the music,”
Heaney notes. “Being the only person to record and produce and do all
those things, I find it’s a lot quicker
for me. I like collaborating, and I
like working with other people. I just
find that with this process, I can output the most music in the quickest
amount of time.”
Heaney is refreshingly forthcoming about his influences, which include not only the aforementioned
Beatles and DeMarco, but also Arctic
Monkeys and Father John Misty, and
especially the artist known to his parents as Ariel Marcus Rosenberg.
“For a lot of these songs I was trying to write from the mindset of Ariel
Pink,” Heaney says. “I just see him as
getting as many hooks as he possibly
can into one song. I love that, and I
love how he can do weird musical
timing and stuff like that, and it still
gets away with authentic catchiness.”
Heaney is no slouch in the catchiness department himself, spiking
numbers like “Comfort Mix” and
“Baby Don Chu Worry” with hooks
as potent as his playing is loose and

Yung Heazy (left) is a one-man operation; Pharis and Jason Romero lost a workshop but gained a new love of humanity.

slippery. These qualities should serve
him well when Yung Heazy sets off
on a tour that, from the middle of this
month to the end of next, will take him
and his band all over Canada and the
U.S., hitting cities that include Toronto, Montreal, Los Angeles, and Austin.
Oh, and also Revelstoke, Guelph, and
a few other places that might not seem
like live-music hot spots.
“I think it’s sweet,” says Heaney.
“I’d love to play for people in Revelstoke and Guelph and smaller places,
or maybe venues that don’t usually get
bands. I have no idea. I’ve never actually been to either of those places. But
I’m just down to tour, man. I’m down
to play as many shows as possible for
whoever wants to come out.”
> JOHN LUCAS

Yung Heazy plays 333 on Saturday
(May 12).

Generosity helped Romeros
recover from traumatic fire
As life traumas go, it’s right

2 up there as one of the scariest:

waking up in the middle of the night
to a fire that’s taken hold. Today,
the husband-and-wife Americana
duo of Pharis and Jason Romero are
able to look back at the time their
lives changed with a strange sense
of gratitude. Out of something horrible came good things, including
a renewed faith in humankind and
the feeling that life’s short, so you
might as well take some chances.
That thinking would eventually have
an impact on Sweet Old Religion, the
fourth—and quite arguably best—album the two have released under the
banner of Pharis and Jason Romero.
But first, the fire. The nightmare
started in 2016 in a workshop on
their property in Horsefly, B.C. Having welcomed a second child, the
couple started a major renovation on
their house, moving into an adjacent
cabin during the construction. Also
on the property was Jason’s workshop, which happened to be headquarters for his booming business as
a maker of high-end banjos.
“We started the reno in May in
earnest, ripping the house apart but
keeping the kitchen and bathroom,
for obvious reasons,” Jason says, on
the line with his wife and musical
partner from Horsefly. “One night in
June, after we got back from a party,
I woke up at about 3 a.m. and saw a
glow that I shouldn’t have seen.”
Along with their two small kids,
Pharis and Jason were in a cabin
they’d built on skids between the
house and workshop, the structure
giving them a place to stay during the reno. Jason bolted from
bed while Pharis grabbed the kids,
who were two months old and twoand-a-half.
“The fire was in the corner of the

shop—I’m pretty sure it was started by
a compressor that shorted out and had
run itself red-hot,” Jason says. “There
was enough ambient dust in the room
that it caught fire. It was a very old
building and it went up really quick.
We tried to put it out with a garden
hose, but then the fire got so big that it
burned our power lines, which killed
our pump. There was a live wire in the
driveway, which caused all sorts of
chaos. It burned down very efficiently.”
The collateral damage included
five banjos that Jason had finished
and was about to ship to customers, as well as a collection of prewar
Martin and Gibson guitars. Also
lost were countless personal items,
which the Romeros had stored in the
workshop for the renovation. But the
couple eventually gained a different
perspective on that night.
“In this day and age it’s insane
how quickly news spreads,” Pharis
says. “We got up the next day and
went to our friend’s house to use the
Internet and contact the insurance
company for whatever insurance we
had. I put up one post, that our shop
burned down, on our personal page.
That day, I talked to four different
CBC Radio stations, and people just
started sending help. Small towns are
amazing when they rally around their
people. We live in this expanded version of a small town when it comes to
the music community and the banjobuilding community, and the luthier
community in general.
“I would never, ever wish for anyone to go through a summer like we
went through, because I think it took
a few years off both of our lives due
to the stress,” she continues. “But I
also wish for everyone to experience
the kind of community support that
we got. It fills your heart with a belief
in the core goodness of humanity. It
inspired Jason and I so much—to be
able to get back on our feet, and then
to be able to give again ourselves.”
In a weird way, then, the fire, as well
as friends coming together afterward
to help them rebuild their home and
lives, inspired Sweet Old Religion. The
palpable sense of easygoing joy that’s
been unmistakable on past records
is there once again, but this time out
the two seem extra locked-in when
singing together. Something magical
happens when they join forces vocally,
whether it’s on the rollicking banjopowered “Salt and Powder” or the
still-waters acoustic reverie “You Are a
Shining Light”.
“Personally, I think both of us feel
this is our best record yet, for a bunch
of reasons,” Pharis says. “We just rehearsed everything like crazy. We sang
together so much leading up to this
record—not a lot of live performing,
because of the kids and how life was
structured, but more singing together
every day for two hours for months.
All the vocals on the record are live,
and most of the playing is. There’s not

a lot of overdubbing on purpose.”
What makes for a noticeable departure from past releases is the injection
of some grit into the duo’s work. That
gives an extra shade of darkness to
the haunting “Age Old Dream” and a
weathered charm to the harmoniesfrom-heaven “Come on Love”.
“I love a little scuff, but trying
to figure out whether I want a little
scuff, or having a note sounding right
in tune, has always created a little bit
of a conflict for me,” Pharis says. “But
I think I might be finally leaning towards a little scuff. Jason, because he
doesn’t have all these years of musical training hammered into him, has
scuff all over his stuff, and that’s what
makes him so freaking great.”
Ultimately, Pharis agrees, what
you hear is two people who couldn’t
be more on the same page. That she
and Jason pretty much do everything
together—make music, raise children,
pile into the tour van, run a home business—suggests a bond as unbreakable
as that of Johnny and June Carter
Cash. That, evidently, is how you not
only survive a fire, but come out on the
other side stronger than ever.
“We’re full-on 24/7 between kids
and being on the road and living and
loving and owning a business together,” Pharis says. “Everything we do is
in this little world. And we still really
like each other, which is a good sign.”
> MIKE USINGER

it was actually a THC drink. Fuck,
I just drank it down in one go, and
then I dealt with the consequences!
I had no idea—it was the one single
healthy thing I tried to do all weekend, and even that was tainted. But
at least I tried!”
That this is almost the first thing
that comes up in our conversation
gives credence to Moonboots’ claim
that he’s “just a goofy son of a bitch”,
and that there’s no point in scanning
his lyrics for mystic significance. “I
just like things to sound visceral,” he
says. “I like it to sound like it comes
from the belly. If I sit down and actually pay real attention to the lyrics
and put in loads of effort, I feel like
every word becomes contrived and
calculated, and it just stops sounding like me, as a person. I mean, the
scatterbrained, abstract nature of
the lyrics is exactly what I am, right?
I’m a scatterbrained, abstract kind of
dude, and I’m not going to sit down
and present lyrics that make me out
to be Leonard Cohen or Nick Cave.”
However self-effacing Moonboots
might be, the Orange Kyte is serious
about its music. The band makes a
big, warm, and enveloping noise, best
heard on its highly entertaining new
release, The Orange Kyte Says Yes!.
And while its sound references elements of the past—keyboardist Mat
Durie often channels Pink Floyd’s
Saucerful of Secrets organ tones,
while the decision to add saxophonist
Matty Reed to the lineup was directly
inspired by Moonboots’ fondness
for the Stooges’ secret weapon, Steve
Mackay—it’s never annoyingly retro.
There is, however, no doubt that
the quintet’s swirling, electronically
enhanced tones would go well with a
bottle of psychedelic soda.
“Phase makes things sound gooey
and melty and kind of like the way
your brain feels when you’ve maybe
taken something and you’re having a good time,” Moonboots says.
“Those kind of sounds echo those
feelings of being chemically altered
and not really thinking too much
about your real life and the stresses
and strains of whatever you do outside of having a good time.”
And having a good time, he continues, is one thing that Desert Daze’s
various acts—which include Ariel Pink,
DIIV, Dead Ghosts, and Frankiie—all
have in common. “The whole aim of it
is to go see some bands and enjoy yourself,” Moonboots concludes. “When
you’re going on tour, you’re basically
bringing the party, or you’re bringing
the good times to the audience—and
that’s the way I want it to be.”
> ALEXANDER VARTY

Pharis and Jason Romero play St.
James Hall next Thursday and Friday
(May 17 and 18).

Orange Kyte makes music
for brain-melting fun times Michigan Rattlers’ hearts
belong to Middle America
When the neopsychedelic road

2 warriors of Desert Daze Cara-

van II roll into Vancouver, Stevie
Moonboots will feel right at home—
and not only because he lives here.
Last year, the affable Irishman admits, he and his band the Orange
Kyte made their Desert Daze debut
at the touring festival’s Joshua Tree
home base, and it was a memorable
occasion in more ways than one.
“We were, like, the first band
on for the whole weekend,” he tells
the Straight on his cellphone while
strolling through Fairview Slopes.
“We played on one of the cool outdoor stages on the way in, so we were
like the first port of call.”
Being first on the bill also let the
singer-guitarist check out other acts—
including Spiritualized, Iggy Pop, and
the Make-Up—without the pressure
of pre-performance anxiety. “It was
just a dream come true,” Moonboots
recalls. But it’s the complimentary
beverages that really stick in his mind.
“The backstage hospitality was
absolutely incredible,” he explains,
laughing. “At the side stage they had
what I thought was a kind of pop, but

Los Angeles is where Michigan
singer-guitarist Graham Young finds himself based these
days, but home will always be Middle
America. That much is obvious from
the punchy Americana he specializes in with bandmate and childhood
friend Adam Reed. If song titles like
“Illinois Sky” don’t give you an idea
of where he sometimes dreams of
being during his more melancholy
moments, then consider the driving
love letter that is “Brutus Road”. Over
country-punk guitars that suggest a
deep appreciation for Uncle Tupelo’s
Anodyne, Young wrings every bit of
emotion out of lines like “And the
stars ain’t like I remember them/Out
Brutus Road in northwest Michigan.”
“It’s definitely a bittersweet relationship with Los Angeles,” the singer says, reached at home in the City
of Angels. “I think all of us in the
band definitely miss living up north
in Petoskey [Michigan]. It’s a case of
missing family, and missing friends.
Still, I completely dig Los Angeles.
You can always find something to

2 Rattlers

see next page

MAY 10 – 17 / 2018 THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT 27

Michigan Rattlers

from previous page

do, and you can’t beat the weather.”
The singer was the first to move to
California, with Reed following him
after wrapping up his schooling.
“I lived in Chicago for a while and
loved it a lot—I was there for three
years,” Young says. “After playing in
a band there, it kind of ran its course
and I was looking for something new.
Los Angeles seemed like an option
despite being far away from home.
It somehow seemed more accessible
than New York City.”
It would be hard to imagine Michigan Rattlers setting up in NYC,
mostly because the group seems to
have deep roots in Californian soil,
despite Young and Reed being transplants. Michigan Rattlers sound as
comfortable turning Leonard Cohen’s “On the Level” into an overproof roadhouse rambler as they do
injecting heartland rock with an extra
layer of Americana twang on “Strain
of Cancer”. Whether intentionally

What stands out is the attention
Fox Cabaret (2321 Main). Tix on sale May
11, 10 am, $22.50 (plus service charges and
to little things, whether the band
fees) at www.livenation.com/.
(which includes multi-instrumental2
ist Christian Wilder) is celebrating
THIS WEEK
Michigan’s Brutus Road, or nameEAGLES American rock band from the
checking the Mustang Lounge in
’70s (“Take It Easy”, “Lyin’ Eyes”, and “Hotel
California”), with guests JD & the Straight
the stardusted “Sweet Diane”. Sure
Shot. May 10-11, 8 pm, Rogers Arena (800
enough, those places exist, proof that
Griffiths Way). Tix at www.livenation.com/.
while Young might be on some level
KIP MOORE American country singerloving L.A., that doesn’t stop him
songwriter, with guests Drake White and the
from thinking about his real home.
Big Fire and Fairground Saints. May 10-11,
“I guess what I set out to do was
doors 7 pm, Vogue Theatre (918 Granville).
write songs for myself,” says the singer,
Tix $59.50 (plus service charges and fees) at
Red Cat Records and www.ticketfly.com/.
who’s just finished a full-length with
his bandmates. “That meant writing
MGMT Indie-rock band from Connecticut
performs tunes from new album Little Dark
about things that were personal to
CONCERTS
. May 11, doors 7 pm, Orpheum Theatre
Age
me. It’s kind of strange, but when you
(601 Smithe). Tix at www.ticketmaster.ca/.
do something that’s super personal, 2JUST ANNOUNCED
COLIN LINDEN Canadian roots singerit can also be super relatable for a lot
songwriter-guitarist and member of
of people. Even if only about one per- IMPRESSIONS OF LIGHTFOOT A jazzy
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings. May 11, 7-11
tribute to Gordon Lightfoot conceived
cent of the people who’ve heard ‘Sweet by James McRae with local luminaries
Michigan Rattlers name-check real
pm, ANZA Club (3 W. 8th Ave). Tix $35,
Diane’ have been to the Mustang Rene Worst, Jennifer Scott, and Bill Coon.
info www.colinlinden.com/.
places in their Americana tunes.
Lounge, they’ve got their own Mus- Experience Lightfoot’s iconic songbook
P!NK International pop star performs on
with fresh and innovative interpretations.
or not, 2016’s eponymous Michigan tang Lounge that they can plug in.”
Presented by Coastal Jazz. May 18-19, 8 pm, her Beautiful Trauma World Tour 2018. May
12, doors 6:30 pm, show 8 pm, Rogers
> MIKE USINGER Frankie’s Jazz Club (765 Beatty). Tix $15 at
Rattlers EP came across as part of a
Arena (800 Griffiths Way). Tix $260.10/210.10
lineage stretching from the legendary
www.coastaljazz.ca/.
/170.10/120.10/90.10/60.10 (plus service charFlying Burrito Brothers to the under- Michigan Rattlers play the WISE VACATIONER American electronic-pop
ges and fees) at www.livenation.com/.
Lounge on Thursday (May 10).
appreciated Long Ryders.
band performs tunes from new album

TAKE NOTICE THAT JIM CHOW (THE
“DECEASED”), BORN IN 1945, ORIGINALLY OF
CHINA, DIED IN VANCOUVER, BC ON NOVEMBER
17, 2017 LEAVING 3 SURVIVING CHILDREN.
IF YOU ARE A CHILD OF THE DECEASED,
PLEASE CONTACT THE LAW FIRM OF
MACKENZIE FUJISAWA LLP (ATTENTION:
PATRICK M. HOLMES), SOLICITORS FOR
THE ESTATE AT 604-689-3281

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savage love
First let me say that I think you
give excellent advice, even if it is a bit
pedestrian at times. I have a small
problem: last fall, my penis bent up
and to the left at an almost 90 degree
angle. I know from Google that this is
not an unusual problem. And at 59, I
am thankful that things are working
as well as they are. But I fly gliders,
and the relief system is a “Texas catheter” with a drain line to outside the
glider. I believe that the bending on
my penis may be the result of trauma
caused by removing the catheter.
In your many years of dealing with
penis problems—I know you are not
a urologist, but still—have you run
across problems of a similar nature? Is
there a way to remove adhesive from
the penis that will not cause trauma?
Gliding season will be starting soon,
and I dread using the same system if
it will cause more damage. My partner is an amazing woman—70, by the
way, and by far the best partner I have
ever had (oh, my brethren, do not look
only to youth!)—but I dread further
damaging my member.
> HANGING UNDER NICE GLIDER

First let me say thank you for the
qualified compliment—you sure
know how to flatter a girl—and I’ll
try to keep my trademark excellentif-pedestrian advice coming, HUNG.
Also, you’re right, I’m not a urologist.
But Dr. Keith Newman is. He’s also
a fellow of the American College of
Surgeons and my go-to guy for dickrelated medical questions.
“It is not likely that HUNG’s
drainage system caused the problem,” said Newman. “His condition

sounds like Peyronie’s disease, a possibly autoimmune disease thought to
be related to microtrauma, though
some penile fractures may result in
similar deformity.”
Men with Peyronie’s disease come
down with, well, bent dicks. Sometimes the bend is slight and doesn’t
interfere with reasonable penile
functions. Sometimes the bend is severe enough to make erections painful and intercourse impossible.
“Most sufferers will return to within 10 to 20 percent of their baseline
curvature within two years without
intervention,” said Newman. “Thus,
it is considered best to defer therapy
until such time has elapsed. Ninety
degrees is quite a big bend, however,
and less likely to resolve spontaneously, but its still worth waiting.”
If your big bend doesn’t resolve
spontaneously, HUNG, there are
treatment options.
“The only real therapies are Xiaflex injections and surgical repair,”
said Newman. “The former is not
approved for patients less than two
years from diagnosis or with less
than 35 degrees of curvature. The
latter is fraught with increased complication rates due to scarring so
near the tip. Both can straighten the
penis, but at a cost of length in many
cases. As for drainage alternatives
while gliding, I suggest the following
product: freedom.mensliberty.com.”

I’m a 37-year-old

male. I’ve
been with my wife for 15 years. I
know that passion transitions in a
long-term relationship, but I’m having a hard time finishing lately. Yes,

> BY DAN SAVAGE
I’m on SSRIs—antidepressants—but
that has only exacerbated the issue.
We all know that a lot of people who
own a vagina enjoy foreplay to help
the orgasms along. Will foreplay
help people who own a penis get to
the moment faster? I’m pretty sure
I know the answer, and I figured
you’re the one to ask what the best
foreplay options are because your
sexual knowledge is vast and you
regularly deal with two penises at
a time. As someone who pleasures
a penis and who has a penis that is
pleasured, what is the best preparation to get guys off before the insertion happens?
> SEEKING WEAPONS OF MALE
PENILE SATISFACTION

Foreplay isn’t just for vagina havers,
SWOMPS! Penis havers have nerve
endings all over their bodies—inside
’em, too—and while many younger
men don’t require much in the way of
foreplay, older men and/or men taking SSRIs often benefit from additional forms of stimulation both prior to
intercourse and during intercourse.
Like tit play. I know some men can’t
go there because that tit-play shit—
like feelings, musicals, sit-ups, and
voting for women—could turn you
gay. But if you’re up for it, SWOMPS,
have the wife play with or even clamp
your tits, and then shove a plug in
your ass that stimulates your prostate
while also remembering to engage
what’s often called “the largest sex organ”: your brainz. Talk dirty to each
other! If you’re already proficient at
JV dirty talk—telling ’em what you’re
about to do (“I’m going to fuck the

shit out of you”), telling ’em what
you’re doing (“I’m fucking the shit out
of you”), telling ’em what you did (“I
fucked the shit out of you”)—move
on to varsity dirty talk: talk about
your fantasies, awesome experiences
you’ve had in the past, things you’d
like to try or try again with your partner. To get your dick there—to push
past those SSRIs—fire on all cylinders
(tits, hole, brain, mouth, and cock) before and during insertion.

I’m a 32-year-old English guy,

and this morning I was diagnosed as
HIV-positive. I’m in a bit of a state. I
haven’t told anyone, and I needed to
get it out. I’m in a long-term, mostly
monogamous relationship, but my
boyfriend is overseas for work at the
moment, so I can’t really talk to him
about it. So I’m talking to you.
> DIAGNOSED AND DAZED AND
CONFUSED

I’m so sorry, DADAC. I hope you
have a friend you can confide in, because you need a shoulder to cry on
and I can’t provide that for you here.
What I can provide is some perspective. I’m just a little older than
you—okay, I’m a whole lot older
than you. I came out in the summer of 1981—and two years later,
healthy, young gay men started to
sicken and die. During the 1980s
and most of the 1990s, learning you
were HIV-positive meant you had a
year or two to live. Today, a person
with HIV is expected to live a normal life span—so long as they have
access to treatment and they’re
taking their meds. And once you’re

on meds, DADAC, your viral load
will fall to undetectable levels and
you won’t be able to pass HIV on
to anyone else (undetectable = uninfectious). Arguably, your boyfriend and your other sex partners
are safer now that you know than
they were before you were diagnosed. Because it’s not HIV-positive men on meds who are infecting
people, it’s men who aren’t on meds
because they don’t know they’re
HIV-positive.
I don’t mean to minimize your
distress, DADAC. The news you
just received is distressing and lifechanging. But it’s not as distressing
as it was three decades ago, and it
doesn’t mean your life is over. I remember holding a boyfriend on the
day he was diagnosed as HIV-positive more than 25 years ago, both
of us weeping uncontrollably. His
diagnosis meant he was going to die
soon. Yours doesn’t. You have a lot
of time left , and if you get into treatment and take your meds, DADAC,
you will live a long and healthy
life, a life fi lled with love, connection, and intimacy. Spend some
time feeling sorry for yourself, feel
the fuck out of those feelings, and
then go live your life—live it for all
the guys who didn’t get to celebrate
their 33rd birthdays.
P.S. Don’t wait until your boyfriend returns to tell him. He needs
to get tested right away.
On the Lovecast, Dr. Lori Brotto on
asexuals: savagelovecast.com. Email:
mail@savagelove.net. Follow Dan on
Twitter @fakedansavage. ITMFA.org.